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Northwestern will play most of its home football games during the 2024 and 2025 seasons at a temporary on-campus stadium flanking Lake Michigan, while construction takes place to rebuild Ryan Field.

The temporary stadium will be built on the site where the school’s lacrosse and soccer teams (men’s and women’s) play and will continue to host events for those sports. Northwestern likely will play some home football games at Wrigley Field — where it hosted games in 2010, 2021 and 2023 — and possibly other Chicago-area venues, but most contests will be held on campus.

Wildcats coach David Braun told ESPN that the on-campus facility will “bridge the gap between today and a new Ryan Field,” which is set to open for the 2026 season.

“We’re thrilled to have something that is truly ours,” Braun said. “It’s playing at home, playing on campus. Part of college athletics and the thing that makes it so special is the campus community involvement. It provides the opportunity for an incredible home-field advantage.”

Braun thanked university president Michael Schill, board of trustees chair Peter Barris, athletic director Derrick Gragg and coaches of other impacted teams for supporting the temporary stadium plan, which had been mentioned several years ago but wasn’t considered a strong option until the past few months. Northwestern had discussions with Wrigley Field, Soldier Field and SeatGeek Stadium about hosting games in 2024 and 2025. Constuction to rebuild Ryan Field, a project estimated at around $800 million, began in February.

Northwestern did not announce a specific capacity or other details for the temporary stadium, as the configuration is still be designed, other than to note that it will be “considerably less” than both the original Ryan Field (47,130) and the new version (35,000). Season-ticket holders will have the first priority to secure tickets, and students also will have a reserved section in the facility, as construction will begin this summer. Northwestern often has had sizable contingents of visiting teams’ fans at its home games.

The school is partnering with InProduction, which constructed seating for last year’s NASCAR event in downtown Chicago, as well as temporary seating, staging and structures for college teams at Hawai’i and Florida State.

“A lot of things still need to be worked out, but I have lot of confidence we can troubleshoot,” Braun said. “Credit to other teams that use this space for a willingness to work together to see if this was something that is truly an option. It’s a tight-knit community that supported one another. I’m just really excited.”

The Wildcats have home games this coming season against Miami (Ohio), Duke, Eastern Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Illinois. Braun told ESPN that “select” games will be played on campus and some could still be moved, especially to a venue like Wrigley Field after the Major League Baseball season.

Braun said players were “thrilled” to hear about the on-campus stadium, noting that he had been frequently asked about it in recent weeks as talk of the possibility grew.

“The primary concern for me was what our student-athlete experience was going to be for two years,” he said. “To have a situation where our guys aren’t traveling to different venues each week, traveling long distances on buses after games, instead we’re on campus. As it became apparent that we needed to explore all options, I’m proud that our university leadership made the best decision for our student-athletes.

“Our guys recognize this is an incredible opportunity.”

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Sources: IF Kim, Rays agree to 2-year, $29M deal

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Sources: IF Kim, Rays agree to 2-year, M deal

Infielder Ha-Seong Kim and the Tampa Bay Rays are in agreement on a two-year, $29 million contract that includes an opt-out after the first season, sources told ESPN, adding a Gold Glove winner to a Rays team that places significant emphasis on defense.

Kim, 29, who is expected to return from shoulder surgery in May, likely will start at shortstop but also has played second and third base, with his Gold Glove coming in a utility role.

The deal, which will pay Kim $13 million this season, is the most Tampa Bay has guaranteed in free agency for a position player since signing outfielder Greg Vaughn for four years and $34 million in 1999.

Before the partial tear of his right labrum required surgery, Kim was expected to land a free agent deal in the nine-figure range. With his opt-out, he can join a free agent class next year that’s thin on infielders, with shortstop Bo Bichette and second baseman Luis Arraez the only players of Kim’s caliber.

He arrived from Korea in 2021, signing with the San Diego Padres as a bat-first middle infielder. While the power Kim displayed in Korea didn’t show up as frequently as it did with the Kiwoom Heroes, his glove was a revelation, and in four seasons with the Padres, he posted double-digit wins above replacement despite never slugging above .400.

Tampa Bay enters the 2025 season with playoff aspirations but had been relatively quiet over the winter, signing catcher Danny Jansen and trading left-hander Jeffrey Springs to Oakland. The Rays used Jose Caballero and Taylor Walls at shortstop last season and are expected to do the same this year before the return of Kim.

Their infield already was a strength, with first baseman Yandy Diaz, second baseman Brandon Lowe and star-in-the-making Junior Caminero at third, with Christopher Morel, Curtis Mead, Jonathan Aranda and Richie Palacios also capable to playing on the dirt.

Shortstop Wander Franco, who was expected to be the Rays’ long-term solution at the position after signing an 11-year deal, remains on the restricted list while facing charges in the Dominican Republic of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation against a minor and human trafficking.

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Fantasy baseball rankings, projections, strategy and cheat sheets

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Fantasy baseball rankings, projections, strategy and cheat sheets

All of your fantasy baseball draft preparation needs collected in one place! Here you’ll find rankings, projections, cheat sheets, analysis and strategy. Check back every day for new content through Opening Day of the 2025 season. If this is your first time playing fantasy baseball, might we recommend starting with the basics: The Playbook: How to play fantasy baseball.

Don’t have a team yet? Create or join a league and then dive into the latest draft-prep material tailored for whatever format you prefer.


The Playbook: Become an expert in 9 innings

Inning 1: How to play fantasy baseball

Inning 2: League Formats: Which is right for you?

Inning 3: Everything you need to know about salary-cap drafts

Inning 4: How to create the ultimate cheat sheet

Inning 5: Roster optimization

Inning 6: Nine must-follow tips

Inning 7: Staying ahead of league trends

Inning 8: Using advanced stats to get ahead

Inning 9: Mastering the 2025 player pool


Rankings and cheat sheets

Cockcroft: Points-league rankings

Karabell: Head-to-head categories/rotisserie rankings


Advice from our experts

Karabell: The top 10 fantasy baseball prospects for 2025 (1/29)

Karabell: News or Noise (1/24)

Zola: What to expect from Roki Sasaki and other Asian newcomers (1/15)

Cockcroft: Reaction to Juan Soto signing with the New York Mets (12/9)


Roster-building essentials

2025 Player Projections and Outlooks

“Hot stove” free agent and player movement tracker

Live Draft Results

Closer depth chart

MLB depth charts


For Dynasty Leaguers

Dynasty Top 300 (2025 edition coming soon!)

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Steinbrenner: ‘Difficult’ to spend like Dodgers

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Steinbrenner: 'Difficult' to spend like Dodgers

New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner weighed in on the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ offseason spending spree, saying it will be even more “difficult” to keep up with the reigning World Series champions.

The Dodgers have spent more than $450 million guaranteed this offseason, pushing their 2025 luxury tax payroll to approximately $390 million.

With the penalties for exceeding the $241 million threshold, the Dodgers’ total payroll for this year likely will be in excess of $500 million.

“It’s difficult for most of us owners to be able to do the kind of things that they’re doing,” Steinbrenner said during an interview with the YES Network that aired Tuesday. “We’ll see if it pays off.”

Despite losing superstar Juan Soto as a free agent to the crosstown rival Mets, the Yankees also have had an active offseason, headlined by Max Fried‘s eight-year, $218 million deal.

The Yankees currently have Major League Baseball’s third-highest luxury tax payroll at just under $303 million. The Phillies are second at just under $308 million, more than $80 million behind the Dodgers.

The Yankees were listed in March 2024 by Forbes as MLB’s most valuable franchise, worth an estimated $7.55 billion, while the Dodgers were the second-most valuable at approximately $5.45 billion.

Los Angeles’ latest free agent addition, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan, is reliever Kirby Yates, who agreed to a one-year deal worth $13 million.

The Dodgers also have signed free agents Blake Snell, Tanner Scott, Roki Sasaki, Michael Conforto and Hyeseong Kim; they re-signed Teoscar Hernandez and Blake Treinen; and they reached a multiyear extension with Tommy Edman.

Steinbrenner, whose Yankees lost to the Dodgers in last season’s World Series, added Tuesday that Los Angeles’ busy offseason does not guarantee another championship.

“They still have to have a season that’s relatively injury-free for it to work out for them,” Steinbrenner said. “It’s a long season as you know, and once you get to the postseason, anything can happen. We’ve seen that time and time again. We’ll see who’s there at the end.”

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